Gravity
by antisocialgod
Summary: Forks was never my favorite place in the world. Not until I met her, anyway. Something in her called out to me, and I couldn't stay away. Most of all, I didn't want to.
1. Prologue

**Title:** Gravity.

**Author: **That's My Pen Name.

**Pairing:** Bella/Alice (FemSlash, so if you're not comfortable with it, I suggest you don't read it).

**Rated:** PG for now. Might change in the future though. I'll warn.

**Summary:** Forks was never my favorite place in the world. Not until I met _her_, anyway.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters, Stephenie Meyer and Summit Entertainment do. I don't get money from this, is just a hobby.

**Author's Note:** There are a few things I'd like to say here. First, I'm brazillian. I do have someone looking over the chapters, but forgive any mistakes that might have slipped. Second, Jasper and Alice don't have a love relationship on this story. Yes, they had a past together, but not a present, and definitely not a future. Edward is in the story, but I don't know if I'm keeping him. He's starting to annoy me. And Jacob Black won't be making an appearance as far as I know. That might change, but for now it'll be like that. :) And third, comments are appreciated. Constructive criticism too. And I think that's all. Enjoy!

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**Prologue - **_And I can not accept that everything that is real, is only what our eyes can see and our hands can feel._

I've never given much thought to how I would die.

Granted, at the age of 17, I wasn't expecting death. And even if I was, I would never imagine that death would come in such beautiful faces. So inviting. I could never run from that, even if I wanted to. And the thought of wanting to was insane.

I embraced death as it came my way, but I was never prepared to what came after death.

Pain. More excruciating than anything I've ever felt, and I've had a fair share of pain in my life. How could a creature so beautiful inflict so much pain? Was I going to hell?

I was never a bad daughter. My mother and father never complained about me, not even once. I was the daughter-in-law that every single woman in our small town wanted to have. I had boys falling for me, top grades at school. I was even a volunteer at the local hospital. I attended church every Sunday. Never missed one. Sure if there was anyone who deserved to go to heaven, I was positive that it was me.

So why? What had I done to deserve this?

I could see the face of my killer. I still couldn't ignore the fact that she looked like an angel. So beautiful. If I was really in hell, then why did I have an angel with me?

I was sure that there was something wrong, but I couldn't really pay attention to anything else but my pain. I could hear screams, and I was sure they were mine. I didn't have the power to control them.

Mom and Dad lied unconscious on the floor next to me. Dead?

I wouldn't know.

Was I dead? Was this some kind of trial? Was God testing my faith?

Questions ran through my mind as one last scream echoed in the house...

And then everything was black.


	2. A whole new town, a whole new way

Thank you all for the reviews! Also, a special thanks to the lovely Soad who reviewed this chapter for me. Don't know what I would do without you! :)

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Chapter I - _I move on to another day, to a whole new town with a whole new way._

The wind blew in my face as I drove down the highway. It was rather cold, and the heater wasn't on, but I didn't mind. I liked the wind in my face. It was relaxing, and it helped me think.

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately.

I still wasn't used to the idea of moving to a place like Forks. I wasn't used to being around a lot of people. I always liked to be on my own, to keep to myself. It was a good thing that I lived in an isolated society. I didn't go out much, and only had to interact with those I've known for a long time.

And then, they send me to Forks.

I had been here before for little periods of time. Dad was born and raised here. Mom lived here a while before we moved to the south after I was born. It wasn't my favorite place in the world.

I liked the cold, so that was a good thing, but I wasn't ready to live by myself. To go to school, meet people and interact with them.

It was stupid in my opinion.

Why should I go there, create bonds with those people, if in the end, I would be gone? What was the point of spending two years in a small town, just for the sake of interacting with teenagers?

'You should be with them, Bella. Enjoy your young years,' my mom had said.

I snorted at her.

Mom enjoyed too much the fact that I'd never be "eighteen", let alone "twenty one". She treated me like a 17 year old. Always had, and I knew she enjoyed that. It annoyed me more than I could ever explain.

Dad, of course, sided with mom. He was the one who decided Forks would be a good place. It was small, and yet, the kids there were very welcoming and all. Plus, the sun wasn't famous for showing up around Forks.

'It's perfect!' he'd said. I rolled my eyes at that, but I knew that I didn't have a choice. And that even if I did, I'd still do as they told me to.

My education didn't allow me to say no to my parents. I regretted being raised like that now.

I sighed as the 'Welcoming to Forks, Washington' sign passed by me. There was no turning back now.

My house was outside the city, and I'd be living on my own, so that was something I couldn't really complain about.

The house was small. I was used to living in a huge place, but that didn't bother me. I didn't need much anyway. It was a white, two story house, sort of like square-shaped, with wall sized windows that were one way mirrors. It was beautiful, very modern, and nothing like the other houses in Forks. I liked it.

Near my house, almost hidden by the woods, was the garage with my cars.

I parked my shiny black Mercedes, an SLR McLaren, and went inside. I only had a couple of hours before my first day of class began, and I really wasn't looking forward to it.

I knew it'd be boring. There was nothing those teachers could possibly teach me that I didn't know already. I had my fair share of High School and it was worth a lifetime.

But then of course, I had more than a lifetime.

_A hundred and twenty five years ago, my family and I lived in a small, peaceful town, in the Southern United States. My father owned a bank, and my mother, like every other woman in that town who had a rich husband, spent the day gossiping with her best friends. I was a junior in High School. The memories are fuzzy, but I can still remember most of it. Still, they seem to fade even more along the years._

_Mom and Dad were talking about something trivial in the living room, when they broke through the door._

_They looked like angels even then. And I knew that I was blind at that time._

_The noise echoed through the house and it scared me. I came down to check, as I every curious person would have done. My parents were lying on the floor already. I looked into the eyes of their killer._

_My killer._

_Bright crimson eyes stared back at me. Silently, she moved to stand by my side before I could even blink._

_'Don't be scared,' she said in a velvet voice, the melody flowing to my ears._

_I knew that I should have been scared, that I should have screamed, ran, done something, anything, but I couldn't._

_I didn't want to._

_When she lowered her head to my neck, I wasn't scared. I was too numb to feel anything._

_And then, it hit me. Burning all over my body, the pain spread faster than I could blink. _

_And I succumbed._

I woke up two days later, to find out that I was just as beautiful as my killer. An angel too.

No, that was wrong.

'Vampire,' that's what she had said to me.

It didn't make sense, at the beginning. Vampires were a myth, right? They didn't exist. And yet, there I was, inhumanly beautiful, fast, strong, and craving for blood.

I killed humans in my early years. Many of them. My eyes were just as red as my killer's had been. But I didn't want that. It wasn't fair, even though it was my nature.

In spite of that, I didn't want to be a monster. Not more than I already was.

My parents and I begin to feed on animals only. It wasn't always fulfilling, but it kept us strong. Alive, at least.

It had been like that for over a hundred years. My eyes weren't crimson anymore, but butterscotch, or completely black whenever I was thirsty, but it was better and people didn't pay enough attention to ever notice the change.

I knew that this would be hard without my parents with me. Eternity with no one to share was a burden, something I didn't wish to anybody, but apparently, I was gonna have to endure it for the time being.

*-*

I went hunting before school. I was used to the human scent, but I didn't want to take any chances.

I couldn't. I knew the rules too well to even think about breaking them.

When I got back, it was time to face my destiny, no matter how much I wanted to run away from it.

Opening my walk-in closet, I picked up a black outfit. Black jeans, black boots, black polo, and a black jacket. All designed specially to me. My closet had one side that only held black clothes. I liked them. They brought up my eyes, and hair, and I could manage not to look like a goth wearing only black.

I grabbed my white school bag, and walked out of the door.

*-*

It took me less than ten minutes to get to school. I decided that Forks was peaceful enough not to have cops on the highways and therefore, I didn't need to respect the speed limit, because there was no way I could get caught.

Forks High School was smaller than every school I had ever attended, and that was saying something. The parking lot was half empty when I got there, except for a few old cars, and a shiny new Volvo.

My Mercedes would definitely stand out.

It wasn't hard to find my way through the buildings, and I soon found myself in the secretary office, to grab my schedule and school map – not that I needed one to find anything here.

"Good morning," I said politely to the secretary as I walked in her office. "I'm Isabella Swan."

"Oh, yes, dear, I was waiting for you." the woman answered, moving around to gather a few papers. She then turned back to me and handled me the papers. "Here's your schedule, and your slips for the teachers to sign. Bring them back to me by the end of the day, please. And there's also the school map. You should be fine, it's not very hard to find things around here."

"Thank you, ma'am." I smiled and made my way out of the door.

I looked at my schedule: English, PE, AP Physics, Trigonometry, French and AP US History. Again, nothing I didn't already know.

The hallways were packed with students now, and the staring began. I knew for a fact that I'd be blushing if that was still possible.

That was one of the main reasons I avoided humans. I didn't like to be the center of attention. Despite being a vampire, I was shy and felt uncomfortable with all the stares.

My first class was AP Physics. Most humans dreaded that class more than anything, specially so early in the morning, so I enjoyed the fact that I'd be starting with something that would keep them busy enough not to pay enough attention to me.

Or so I hoped.

"Hey, you're Bella Swan, the new girl? I'm Eric!" he came to me as soon as I stepped into the class, and I'd be scared if his moves weren't so slow to my vision. Eric, apparently that was his name, was rather short for a boy, clearly not basketball material, dark hair, and clearly overly helpful.

"Isabella." I corrected him. I liked my name, and even the short version of it, but I couldn't get used to people who I barely knew calling me Bella. It was too personal in my opinion.

"Yes, yes, of course. Isabella. Do you need help? Anything? At all? I'm here. I can help you with anything you need!" he started to talk and all my assumptions about him proved correctly. Eric was nice, too nice, and borderline annoying. "Maps? School tour? The latest gossips? Who's dating who, and who's available? I am, by the way."

I sighed. I was officially being punished.

"I appreciate your kindness, but I'm sure I'll be able to find myself here." I answered and flashed him a smile for good measure. "But thank you, nonetheless."

"You sure?" he asked, seeming disappointed. I nodded. "Alright, lemme know if you need anything!"

"I will."

Eric then left me alone and I made my way to the teachers table to give him my slips, hoping that he would be kind enough not to make me introduce myself in front of the entire class, and then made my way to an empty table in the back of the room.

I was spared the introduction and class went by smoothly. By the time I got to my third period, I knew that teachers didn't really care about introductions here, and that I was news already despite my efforts to go unnoticed. Like Eric, more boys and girls came to introduce themselves and ask if I needed anything; Jessica, Lauren, Mike, Tyler and Angela.

Though all of them seemed interested in being my new friends, and even though I was really nice to them, their instincts told them that I should be left alone, and so thats what they did. I could hear them talking about me, staring at me, and everything, but none of them bothered me again, and for that I was glad. It was easier to be around humans when they weren't rubbing against you.

By lunch time, I was sure that my stay in Forks would go just as uneventful as I had originally thought it would be.

When I stepped into the cafeteria I realized how _wrong_ I'd been.

Their eyes met mine as soon as I set foot into the crowded place.

Butterscotch met butterscotch.

They were sitting on the far side of the cafeteria, obviously avoiding any contact with humans just as much as I was. There were five of them, and I was definitely surprised to find five of their kind, my kind, among humans. Three boys and two girls sat there staring at me. The expressions on their faces varying from shock to excitement to frustration.

I didn't know whether or not I should acknowledge their existence by going there or if I should just stick to my previous plan of grabbing my lunch and finding a table all of my own.

As people began to bump into me I realized that I was blocking the cafeteria door and that I had to move.

Turning my gaze away from the other vampires I made my way towards the lunch line. Pretending to eat food was one of the main things I had to do in order to avoid suspicion from the humans around me. It was enough already that my body never changed, except for my eyes and the purple bags under it, that became lighter when I wasn't thirsty, I didn't need them wondering why I never ate anything, so if I only played with food until lunch break was over, they wouldn't get the wrong ideas.

Grabbing an apple and a soda, I went to one of the empty tables on the other side of the cafeteria, away from everyone, including them. I sat in my chair, back turned to their table on purpose. I was avoiding their stares. And everyone else's for that matter. Finding them there took me by surprise. Sure I should have been warned about their existence?

Were they the reason Mom and Dad said Forks would be a good place to hang out with 'people of my age'? Did they know about this? About _them_?

I snorted and rolled my eyes. _Of_ _course_ they knew. And it made sense now. I just wish I would have been told about it. I would have to talk to them later. Definitely would.

Apparently, the other vampires had chosen not to confront me either. I was glad, I didn't exactly know what to say. I knew I'd have to face them sooner or later, after all, if they lived here, I was in their territory, and for all they could have known, I was nothing more than a stranger in their land, someone who could endanger their existence here.

So, knowing that they'd come to me eventually, I made my way to my next period; Trigonometry.

Once again, I gave my slips to the teacher and went to the grab a chair in the back of the class. The chair next to mine was the only one empty, so its occupant either didn't exist, or wasn't here yet.

As soon as the bell rang, the latter proved to be true, as _she_ walked through the door and made her way to sit by my side. Skin just as pale as mine, same graceful movements, short height and spiky hair. Very pixie-like.

I had noticed her before, more than the others, but now that I had the chance to take a closer look, I was even more stunned.

I wasn't used to feeling like that around a girl, but there was just something about her that called out to me. Before I could notice, my hand was in front of me and my voice was out.

"Isabella Swan." I said before I realized. I wanted to smack myself in the head and then find a hole to hide in. Had my blood not been frozen in my body, I was sure it would be rushing to my cheeks at full speed.

But before I could do anything, her hand reached out and grabbed mine, shaking it, as her face lit up in the most beautiful smile I've ever seen in my entire existence.

Her touch sent waves all over my body and gave me a weird feeling in my stomach.

I definitely wasn't used to _that_.

"Nice to meet you, Bella." for once that day, I didn't mind the nickname. "I'm Alice Cullen."


	3. Everything I need, I never knew I wanted

**Thank you all for the lovely reviews! I'm sorry I can't reply to the anonymous reviews, but I loved them nonetheless! Keep them coming! Also, a especial thanks for _Orangesoda7, _for finding some time to review this chapter! :)**

**Enjoy!  
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Chapter II - _She is everything I need that I never knew I wanted._

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"I'm Alice Cullen."

_Alice Cullen. _

So she was a part of the Cullen clan, and it was correct to assume that those in the cafeteria with her were her brothers and sister. I knew all about the Cullens, in theory at least, considering that I had never seen them.

Well, before today, that is.

I heard stories about their father figure, Carlisle Cullen, in my early days as a vampire. How he fought the thirst, and was now able to work as a doctor, not even being bothered by it anymore.

I envied him when I was younger.

The fact that I always cared for the greater good when I was human, and helped those that needed, made me want to be able to control my thirst like that. Eventually, as the years passed, I fought against the urge to rip a human's throat out when they approached me. It became easier, but I could still feel it when they spent too much time near me. I was nothing like Carlisle Cullen, though I could live with humans without wanting to kill them.

If I was right, and I knew I was, the small girl in front of me was the psychic of the Cullen clan. I knew that many vampires had abilities and I knew what a lot of vampires could do. I was like a walking inventory of vampires and their amazing powers.

It made _my _ability easier.

_Alice Cullen could see the future._ I wondered if she saw me coming.

"Oh. Cullen, huh?" I managed to say, after a second passed.

She smiled and nodded.

"So you've heard about us." It wasn't a question but more like a statement.

"I have always appreciated what your father does." I answered honestly. The reason why I knew so much about them _was_ because of what Carlisle did. Well, it was the main reason.

"Ah, yes, we all admire him for that." she began to play with her pencil, pretending to write something in her notebook. "So, what brings you to Forks? And Forks High?"

I smiled. I didn't need to see the future to know that question was coming.

"Mom and Dad sent me here. Apparently, I spend too much time on my own." I made a face and she laughed. "I think they knew about your coven. And how most of you are young and all. She said I needed to spend time with people 'my age', and Forks High... well, what better place to find teenagers full of love to give?"

I rolled my eyes. Teenagers that wouldn't even come near me anymore.

"Didn't your mom get the memo? Humans aren't really nice to vampires." she shook her head and looked into my eyes.

I could drown myself in that pool of honey.

Well, figuratively of course. Vampires didn't drown.

"Yeah well, they're smarter than they appear." I was glad that I was able to snap out of my frenzy before she could notice. It'd be embarrassing if she saw me looking at her like that. "What about you? And your coven?"

"Oh, we've been in Forks since last year. Well, this time. We keep coming back. I guess we like it here." she shrugged. That she could perform such an absurdly normal act with amazing gracefulness compelled me.

Oh, Alice Cullen.

I didn't know what I was feeling. I just felt the need to keep looking at her, talking to her. She was so interesting and captivating. Her face lit up whenever she talked about her family, and their lives, and one couldn't help but to notice how much she loved them. In all my existence, I never found many bonds between vampires to be that strong.

"You know what?!" her voice pulled me out of my trance, filled with excitement. It made me excited too, though I didn't know why.

"Yes?"

"You should come and meet my family!" I had a feeling that Alice would be jumping up and down if she could. "My brothers and sister were very excited to see a new vampire in town! And a vegetarian one! Well, they're a bit shocked too. And Edward was frustrated, though I'm not exactly sure why, but still. You should definitely meet them!"

"I, I don't know, Alice." I started to fidget, playing with my fingers. "I don't wanna be a bother. Maybe I should just stay in my place, keep quiet, you know? What if they don't like me?"

"That's nonsense, Bella!" she let it out a melodious laugh and the teacher threw us a dark glance. She mouthed a sorry and turned her gaze back to her notebook. "Why wouldn't they like you? You have nothing to worry about. Trust me, I know."

I knew that she knew. She must have seen it. But did she know that I knew? I decided to pretend that I didn't. I would wait for her to tell me when she deemed right.

She tilted her head to the side and smiled to me, batting her eyelashes.

At that moment, I knew that I could never say 'no' to Alice Cullen.

"Fine! But if anything goes wrong, you'll deal with it." I rolled my eyes to give emphasis to my fake annoyance, but I knew she saw through it.

"Well, good thing that I won't have to deal with anything then." she clapped her hands and the teacher looked at us again. I slid down in my chair, embarrassed.

"Ms. Cullen, do you and Ms. Swan have something to share with the rest of the class?" she asked, clearly annoyed for having her class interrupted.

I was sure Alice had an answer already because her smiled never faded.

"Well, Ms. Beauvais, is just that I always thought that French is an amazing language, so beautiful, you know? And I've always wanted to live in France, so I was telling that to Ms. Swan. I'm sure you agree with me?"

She flashed _that _smile to the teacher, and I knew that I wasn't the only one who fell for her charms.

"Yes, yes, France is an amazing country, indeed." the teacher spoke, exaggerating her accent even more, apparently to emphasize how proud she was of her nationality. "But please keep those discussions outside of my class?"

"No problem, Ms. Beauvais." she nodded and the teacher resumed the class.

I look at her, bewildered. Never, ever in all of my years in High School a teacher had called my attention. I was always the perfect student. Top grades; never spoke a word in class unless it was to answer a question, and now this.

What was she doing to me?

"That was interesting..." she told me, clearly proud of how she had gotten us out of the situation.

"I suppose you can put it like that." I said, pretending to write notes on my notebook and keeping my voice down, too low for human ears to hear us.

"So, when do you wanna meet my family? Today is just a good day as any other, in my opinion."

"Well, why delay it? I have a feeling you won't let me live through this, anyway." She stuck her tongue out at me in a very childish way and I couldn't help but to giggle.

"So, we'll go after class? Wait, no, Carlisle doesn't get home until the late in the afternoon." she sighed, and began to concentrate, probably thinking on how we should proceed now. She snapped her fingers and turned to me, just as the bell rang. "I know! We can hang out, and then we can go to my place. That way, we can get to know each other better! I have a feeling we'll be great friends, Bella."

Somehow I had that feeling too, and the idea of spending more time with that exquisite girl seemed fantastic to me. I had nothing to do anyway, and Alice seemed like the kind of person who could keep you entertained for a long time. Besides, wasn't that what I had been sent here for? Bonding? Mom and Dad would be proud, I was sure.

"Hanging out sounds like a good idea." I told her as we walked out the room. "What class do you have next?"

"AP US History." she answered as we made our way through the hallways packed with students.

"Looks like we have another period to share, Alice."

*-*

By the time school was over, it seemed like me and Alice Cullen had been best friends for our whole life. It was easy to talk to her. More than with anyone else, because it felt like we had shared a lifetime, even though we had actually just met. She was funny, exciting, and genuinely nice.

I could safely say that I had never met someone like her.

In our last period she managed to get to know everything about me.

Well, almost everything.

There were things that I wasn't ready to tell Alice just yet, no matter how close I felt to her. They weren't secrets, not exactly, but just things that I had found should remain unspoken until a certain point. I had lost many possible friends because of that, and I wasn't ready to give up Alice's friendship.

It wasn't something that I was ashamed of, either. On the contrary, I've always been proud of it, but most of the vampires wouldn't understand. They didn't know how things worked, and just assumed the worst. Perhaps I should've given Alice the benefit of the doubt, but I just wasn't ready yet.

But other than that particular fact, Alice now knew more than a lot of people did about my life. How old I was, how my parents are the same ones I had when I was human and how they were changed the same night that I was, how I was changed to be in an army of newborns when the wars in the South erupted, that I had decided to become a vegetarian and even convinced my parents to do it too, that I was living in Forks on my own, and even that my favorite animals to feed on were Bengal Tigers.

She didn't know about my power, but I thought that it was only fair considering that she hadn't told me about hers either. Even though I knew it. I just decided to keep that to myself for a little while longer.

When classes were over we made our way to the parking lot together. Alice wanted to tell her family that she'd be hanging out with me, and then we would be taking off to the nearest mall, much against my will.

I liked the mall, and shopping for that matter, I just didn't like the amount of people in such a considerably small place. But then again, Alice was asking.

"So, I just gotta tell my brothers and we can go." Alice said, as we walked out into the cold parking lot.

Well, I supposed it was cold, but I couldn't really feel anything since _I_ was cold.

We made our way to the shiny Volvo, were her brothers stood, gawking at something across the parking lot, much like the other students.

"What are you staring at?" she asked, poking the big guy on the shoulder. I doubt he even felt that.

"Look at _that._" He said pointing to were _my_ car was parked, a lot of people next to it, admiring it. "Who in this forgotten town could possibly own a car like _that_?"

I chuckled and they turned to face me.

"That would be me." I said, smiling to myself.

"Of course." Alice said, smiling too, as the big guy turned his gaze from me to the car and back.

"No way!" he screamed, drawing everyone's attention to us. "Really?"

"Yes, really. An 2009 Mercedes SLR McLaren." I said proudly. That car was my little baby. Well, not that little, but still. It was a present from someone whom I cared deeply for, one of the many things I had been spoiled with during all of my existence.

"Can I drive it?!" he asked excitedly. "I'll love you forever if you let me drive that car."

The blonde girl next glared at him, and he shrugged, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her cheek.

"Oh, c'mon Rose! You gotta admit that its an amazing car. And its not even out yet!" she rolled her eyes, but then smiled.

"I suppose you're right." she said, and the grin on the boys face got even wider. She turned to me. "I'm Rosalie, and the big goof drooling over your car is Emmett."

"It's nice to meet you." I answered politely, and turned to Emmett. "You can drive it some other time."

"Really?!" he asked, and I nodded and before I could notice he had me engulfed in a big bear hug. "You're the best!"

"Okay, okay Emmett, let her go. You're gonna kill her again." Alice said, pulling me out of the embrace. "And we should go, anyway. Bella and I are going shopping. Then I'll take her over, so she can meet Esme and Carlisle."

Before I could say anything to the other two boys next to the car, Alice pulled me across the parking lot. I couldn't say I minded, though. Emmett and Rosalie sounded welcoming, but the other two remained quiet, and I didn't know what they were thinking. Though the blonde one seemed quiet, I had a feeling he was a nice guy, but the one with bronze hair, I wasn't sure if we'd be the best of friends. I guess it had to do with the way he kept looking at me. Or more like staring, I should say. I felt like he was trying to get into my mind at any cost, and perhaps, he was.

I knew Edward Cullen was the mind-reader in the Cullen family. I also knew that he couldn't read _my _mind. He didn't know why, and was probably surprised by that. It was understandable. Vampires that have abilities tend to rely too much on them, and whenever something doesn't go right, they don't know what to do, or how to act. I didn't know why Edward wanted to get into my mind so much, but I felt bad for him. I always thought that reading minds, even if it is the dream of almost every human at some point of their lives, was a burden. Thoughts that you didn't want or needed to hear, rushing through your mind was _not_ the best thing ever.

Maybe he was simply _curious_. Maybe the only reason why he wanted to get into my mind was for the sole purpose of showing that he _could_ do it. One way or another, his attempts bothered me. My mind was the only place where I could keep everything safe. Where certain details about my existence weren't in danger.

I certainly didn't appreciate his attempts to change that.

*-*

Shopping with Alice was an unique experience. I was starting to think that when it came to her, _everything_ was. Even though Port Angeles didn't have a mall, and we couldn't go far enough to find a real one, by the end of the day we still had a fair share of shopping bags with us. Most of them had clothes inside, or accessories. I had bought a few books, and Cd's, but considering that it was a small city, it was hard to find certain things here.

Still, we had fun.

Alice made me smile. And I mean really smile. It felt good to be myself. When I came to Forks I was convinced that I would have to be someone else, and the fact that I didn't was nice, to say the least.

We went back to Forks when the night came. It didn't take long for us to get there considering how fast we were going.

The Cullen household was a few miles out of town, into the woods. It was on the opposite side from my house, which was closer to the beach. When the house came into view, I found out it looked a lot like my own, except for a few details. I guess vampires had the same taste.

I got out of the car and held the door open for Alice.

"Thank you." she smiled and move towards the door.

My hand froze on the door handle. I was nervous, I couldn't deny that. I knew that I'd be sweating if I could. It should be easy to do this, right? It was just a family of vampires. I have lived with vampires my whole life. And if I was being honest to myself, the vampires I had lived with were nothing compared to the ones behind that door, I was sure of that.

Then why was I so scared?

Taking a deep and unnecessary breath, I followed Alice's path.

No one was going to bite me, right?


	4. I'm not as sure as I seem

**Thank you for the reviews and alerts! :) I'm sorry it took so long for me to post this chapter, is just there was another idea buzzing in my head and I couldn't get it out and it was keeping me from writing this chapter. But, here it is! A special thanks to orangesoda7 for reviewing this. Thank you! Enjoy! :D**

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Chapter III - _There's no reason to run, although I may._ _I'm not as sure as I seem, this much I know._

As we entered the house, I noticed that it was just as open as my own. Perhaps the most outstanding difference was the size; while my house was only two stories, theirs had three, and the proportions were much bigger, but considering that there were seven people living in that house, it was clear that they needed their own space.

The living room was big and wide open, and there sat the Cullen family.

Rosalie and Emmett were sitting on the love seat, eyes set on the TV, while the blonde guy who I assumed to be Jasper, sat on the floor, next to them. Edward was sitting in front of a beautiful piano, and Esme and Carlisle, were standing next to the door.

Alice was in front of them, beaming with excitement.

"Bella, this is Carlisle, Esme, and everyone else." she said, pushing me forward. I had been frozen at the door. "Everyone, this is Bella Swan, my new friend."

I smiled inwardly. I was her _new friend_, not the _new vampire in town._ That made my insides dance, though I didn't know why.

"Hello Bella," Carlisle said, stepping forward and shaking my hand. "It's nice to meet you."

I smiled, but didn't say anything. I was still processing everything. I knew that I should be acting normally, but I just couldn't. I always got shy around new people, especially those of my kind, because I knew they would be curious about a lot of things, and I _was_ just a little too private about my life.

"Welcome to our home." Esme said, stepping into my personal space and hugging me.

To my utter surprise, I didn't mind. It felt comfortable, she didn't even know me and I was welcomed already. Her embrace reminded me of my mother's; whilst I was not a touchy-feely person – I didn't share many hugs, among other things, in my life – I liked that. Truth was, I missed home, and the sense of family that it held to me, and being here with them brought that sense back. Made me feel warm and comfortable, even if it wasn't _my _home.

"You have a lovely house, ma'am." I said, as Alice ushered me forward, making me sit on the empty couch.

"Ma'am?" Alice asked, rolling her eyes.

"Do I look that old?" Esme inquired, a smile lighting her beautiful features.

I smiled sheepishly and hung my head down in embarrassment.

"I apologize. Old habits die hard, I suppose."

"I'm just gonna have to teach ya how to speak like teenagers do, nowadays." Emmett said, grinning.

I could tell that Emmett and I would get along just fine. But then again, I wondered who wouldn't; it was clear that despite his big muscles, he wasn't scary at all. Not after you met him, anyway. He looked more like a big brother. And I certainly wouldn't mind getting one.

"I've been trying out with Jasper and Edward, but this old age vocabulary just seems to be stuck inside their heads!" he rolled his eyes, and Jasper hit his knee lightly. While he wasn't as bulky as Emmett, he did have some muscles showing and I could tell that he was pretty strong. "Hopefully you'll be a better student. I mean, I think girls are better with that anyways; look at Rose and Alice. I did a fine job with them."

"Psh, Emmett, if I was going to talk like you taught me I would totally make a fool of myself." Rosalie said, earning a sad look from Emmett.

"That's not true!" he protested and the whole family laughed at his face. "Fine! Go on with the nerd vocabulary and the difficult words!"

"Well, you have a different notion of what can be considered _difficult_, Emmett." Jasper mocked him, a smile showing up in his aristocratic face.

"What's that supposed to mean?" the big guy asked, tilting his head to the side and frowning.

"Precisely my point." Jasper answered, smirking and leaving Emmett confused.

During the whole conversation, I knew that I was being watched. The burning sensation coming from my side wouldn't go away, and I knew exactly why. Since I had stepped into the house, Edward continued to stare at me, just as he had been doing it when we first met, after school. I wondered if he'd ever stop, if he'd ever get over the fact that he couldn't read my mind.

I turned my head to the side, and his gaze met mine for a second, before he looked somewhere else.

"Do you play?" I asked, and he looked at me again. I smiled, trying to be friendly.

Alice snorted.

"That's _all_ Edward does." she said, smirking at him. "He's like, completely in love with this piano."

"Thank you, Alice." he said, grimacing. He looked at me again. "But yes, I do. What about you?"

"I have a piano, back home. I kind of miss it." I shrugged. He smiled a bit.

"You should play us something." Esme said, looking back from me to Edward. There was something mischievous in her eyes, and I wasn't sure if I liked it. "That is, if you don't mind, of course."

"I'd love to." I said, making my way to sit beside Edward.

It felt weird, to say the least. There was something about him that made me feel uncomfortable. I wasn't at ease like I felt with Alice, or any other member of his family for that matter. I guess a little part of me hoped that he would just let it go, and stop staring at me like I was some kind of puzzle he couldn't understand, even though I knew that was _exactly_ what I was to him.

Sure he wasn't the first vampire I met that was confused as to why their powers didn't work on me. I met quite a lot of those during my existence; the problem was the_ way _he kept looking at me. It was disturbing, and scary, even - like I was the prettiest toy on the highest shelf. The one he couldn't get, couldn't touch, or play with it, but the one he wanted so much.

I was _nobody's_ toy.

Shaking those thoughts out of my mind, I closed my eyes and began to play, letting the music flow around the room and run through my body. I've always loved to play the piano. Even though my human memories were fuzzy, I never forgot that one particular thing about myself.

Young women in the 19th century were often taught how to play the piano at a very young age. I was no exception, of course. But contrary to most of the girls I knew, I actually liked those classes. I looked forward them. I didn't endure it; I enjoyed it. It always helped me escape everything. All the thoughts in my head vanished as the soft notes came to my ears; the notes I knew by heart.

Truth was, when you have eternity, you have a lot of time. And I do mean _a lot._ Sure, people would snort and roll their eyes at me for that statement, but no one could ever totally grasp the meaning of eternity without having actually experienced it. Boredom was very prominent within our kind, and it was one of the reasons why - those of us who weren't nomads – had a vast experience in almost everything.

Playing the piano was something I did a lot through the years; it was something I was good at; genuinely good. I didn't need super strength, speed or enhanced vision to help me with that. Sure the great memory helped, I couldn't deny that, but it wasn't something extremely necessary. I could play with perfection every symphony ever composed, and I had composed some of my own as well. The music I composed varied; the chords weren't always soft, but still pleasant nonetheless.

I was playing one of my pieces to the Cullens. This one was a bit melodic; I wrote it about twenty years after I was changed. All my sorrow, pain, and everything else I felt during my younger years was reflected in those notes. I could feel they were watching me intently, though I wasn't looking at them. Edward's eyes never left my face, not even as I played the last notes and finished the melody.

As I opened my eyes, the whole room erupted in applauses and I couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed. Waving my hand dismissively, I smiled and bowed my head in a 'thank you' gesture.

Alice got up of the couch and pulled me into a hug.

"You're _way_ better than Edward!" she whispered into my ear, but I really doubted that anyone else hadn't heard it.

"Uh... thanks, I guess." I said, shrugging. Truth was, I was feeling a bit smug about it, but I knew it wasn't wise to let it show.

"That was very good, Bella." Esme said. "Did you write that?"

"Yes, I did." I answered sheepishly. "A long time ago."

"Esme is right, it is really good." Edward said, smiling a crooked smile that I assumed should be dazzling.

It made me nauseated.

"Did you say you wrote that a long time ago?" Carlisle asked, raising an eyebrow at me. I nodded, already seeing where this was going. "If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?"

I knew that they were all dying to ask that question, though none of them had the courage to bring it up. I couldn't say I was surprised. I knew I was up for an interrogation the moment I had agreed to come to their house, or better yet, the moment I saw them at the cafeteria and realized that this was their territory and I was the intruder. It didn't bother me, honestly. Though there were some things I wanted to remain quiet about, I really had nothing to hide.

"A hundred and twenty five years old." I answered, bouncing back and forward on the balls of my feet.

"I didn't think that there were many of us that I hadn't crossed paths with at least once in my life," Carlisle said, appearing to be in deep thought. "Huh... I guess I was wrong."

"If it's any consolation, I never left my home that much." I shrugged. Sure I had traveled around the world, but that took ten years of my life, at most. As I said, I didn't like being around people that much.

"I see... Another question, if you don't mind?" he asked, and I nodded again, granting him permission to ask. "Where did you live, before Forks, that is?"

My unnecessary breath got caught up in my throat as the words left his mouth. I expected that question, of course, but not so soon. I wondered if I should lie. Just drop a name of any other city I had lived in before, even if just for a brief time. I wondered what would happen if I told the truth. Would my worst fears come true? Would I lose my newfound friends? A million possibilities ran through my head as I decided what answer to give them. Thankfully they didn't notice my hesitation, considering that it took me less than a second to find an answer I didn't think they would.

Or rather than find an answer, accept it. There had only been one answer all along, and I knew it.

"Italy." I answered slowly. It was a vague answer; I knew that, but an answer nonetheless.

They didn't seem to read too much into my answer; not that I noticed anyway. Then Alice rolled her eyes and took my hand, pulling me towards the stairs.

"Enough with the inquisition!" she shouted, and I released the breath I didn't know I'd been holding all along. "I'm gonna give Bella a tour of the house."

"I could do that, if you want." Edward said, instantaneously getting to his feet.

Alice grip on my hands got stronger, and I heard her sigh softly, before turning around and facing Edward, a not-so-genuine smile on her face.

"I've got that covered, Edward, but thanks." she answered politely and pulled me up the stairs before he could say anything.

I smiled inwardly, thankful for Alice not leaving me alone with him. Truth be told, given the choice, I would much rather be alone with her.

She didn't let go of my hand not even for one second as she showed me around the house, and I couldn't say that it bothered me. Her touch was warm, even though I knew that she was just as cold as I was, and it sent shock waves through my body. Whether she was feeling that or not, I couldn't tell. But she didn't seem to mind the contact, and I knew that I would miss that touch the second she let go of my hand. So I was enjoying it for the time being.

After showing me around the first two stories of the house, we finally reached the third one, where Alice's and Edward's rooms were located. I caught a glimpse of the boy's room, and to say it was a mess would be the understatement of the century. Books and cds were laid across the room, along with clothes and other things. It was the typical teenage room, except for the lack of a bed.

Whilst we didn't really need a bed, considering that we didn't sleep, most of us who had a residence usually had one, more out of convenience, than everything else.

Across the hallway was Alice's room. The contrast between the rooms was blatant. Her room was clear, and tidy, complete opposite from Edward's room. The right wall, the one that faced the river, had been replaced with glass, and so you could see the whole forest from her room. Peach colored curtains were pulled open, so the room was merged in the weak sunlight coming from the outside. I figured those curtains gave her some privacy in a room so open. A desk was placed on the opposite side of the glass wall, its color just a shade darker than the curtains. A notebook was on top of it, and iPod speakers were sitting next to it, the little device connected to them. There were some pens, papers and an iPhone laying around there too. On the south wall, next to the door, there was a 42" plasma TV and a surround system, with Dvd's and CD's neatly organized in order of genre. There was a door next to her desk, which I assumed led to her closet and bathroom. And last, in the middle of the room there was a king sized bed, with a bedside table next to it. I couldn't help but to chuckle at that sight. Alice followed my gaze and raised an eyebrow.

"What?" she asked, pouting. I laughed at how cute she looked doing that.

"I'm sorry, I just can't imagine why someone so tiny would need such a huge bed." I answered honestly.

Alice smirked at me.

"Well, maybe I'll show it to you someday."

I couldn't exactly tell the meaning behind those words. Was she flirting with me? That couldn't be it, could it? Surely not, I had just met her. And yet, I knew that it didn't mean anything considering how she had been making me feel throughout the day. If I was going to be honest with myself, I kind of hoped she _was_ flirting with me. But what if she wasn't? Better yet, what if it didn't mean anything? Should I be reading so much into it? Should I be freaking out like that?

"Do you want to watch a movie?" Alice asked, breaking me out of my haze. "Or do you have to go home soon?"

"That's the beauty of living by yourself, no curfew." I said, smiling and she made her way to the movie shelf.

"What do you wanna watch? Romance, adventure, drama, gore, thriller...?" she asked, going through the movies. I pondered; I liked romances, they were my favorites, but looking around, I saw that there was no couch in her room, which meant we'd have to watch the movies in her bed, which meant that we'd be lying together. And then, there was my dilemma; if we watched a romance, or adventure or something, we'd be lying next to each other, but rather far apart, considering how big her bed was. So before I could get a hold of myself, the words were out of my mouth, loud and clear.

"Thriller."

Surely that didn't mean anything, right? I certainly _wasn't_ planning on snuggling with Alice Cullen.

Nope. Not at all.


	5. You hold me right here, right now

**I'm so so so sorry it took me so long to post this chapter! My vacations are over, so I don't know when I'll be posting another chapter, but hopefully it'll be soon! :) Thank you all for the reviews. And thank you the lovely _orangesoda7_ for reviewing this chapter.**

Chapter IV - _Move so pretty you're all I see, as the world keep spinning round, you hold me right here right now._

I caved.

And if I was going to be honest with myself, I enjoyed every single minute of it.

Not once, in all of my years of existence, I've felt so comfortable next so someone. The way she talked to me, the way her hands would accidentally brush against mine, sending shivers through my body. I never felt that. It was all new, and scaring, but I found myself lost in all of those sensations, like nothing else in the world mattered, like it was just the two of us.

_As the initial credits began to show on the screen, Alice plopped on the bed, a considerably distance between us. I, of course, considered that to be a good thing. I didn't know what was happening to me, but I knew that I couldn't be much close to Alice without doing anything stupid. Better safe, than sorry, I've always said. Though, I knew that in that particular situation, I was being both safe _and _sorry for not being able to enjoy her body next to mine._

_Alice's attention seemed to be focused on the movie, so I decided that I should be doing the same. It wasn't like I had anything to worry, right? Just two friends, watching a movie. I knew I was over-analyzing things. Sighing softly, I focused my attention on the screen in front of us._

_I began to find rather easy to concentrate on the movie, and the movie only. Oddly enough, I was paying attention to the stupid storyline and to the terrible special effects. I could even tell the name of the characters. Alice Cullen was _not _in my mind. _

_  
But of course, I couldn't keep like that very long._

_I never fully understood how exactly it happened, but next thing I knew, someone screamed, blood covered the screen, and Alice Cullen had her arms wrapped around me._

_Alice Cullen was _holding_ me._

_My body froze and my unnecessary breath got caught in my throat. To say that I freaked out, would be the understatement of the century. The petit brunette wrapped around me didn't seem to notice my state, so I tried to get a hold of myself. The fact that she was holding me didn't mean _a thing._ For all I knew, she was just scared._

_I suppressed a chuckle as that thought crossed my mind. Being what we were, it was funny to think that Alice would be afraid of a movie. Specially such a bad one as the one we were watching._

_Before I could over-think my action, I wrapped an arm around Alice's waist, holding her body close to mine. _

_It still didn't mean anything._

_She never moved so much as an inch for the rest of the movie. All I could feel was her. From the moment her arms touched me, the movie was forgotten and there was only _her. _The scent of her strawberry shampoo was all I could smell. Her hand was resting near mine and all I could feel were the electrical waves running through my body._

_When the final credits rolled in, Alice seemed to wake up of her haze. Moving her head, she looked at our position, then at my face, before she quickly pulled away from me, as if she had been shocked. _

"_Shit." she muttered, looking down at her mattress. "I'm sorry Bella, I... I don't know what I was thinking."_

_I smiled softly at her. What else could I do? She clearly didn't mean to hold me like that. And even if I had missed her touch terribly since she pulled away, there was nothing I could do to change that. She was my _friend.

"_It's alright." I said, lifting her head carefully. I wasn't sure if I should touch her. Smirking, I continued. "You got scared, it was rather amusing." _

"_I did not!" she exclaimed. It only made me grin. She ducked her head again. I knew she'd be blushing if she could._

_It made my insides dance. I was starting to get used to that._

"_If I recall correctly, you did." I said, and she looked back at me, a small smile gracing her features. "But it was cute, if you ask me."_

"_Well, sorry about throwing myself at you." she said, waving a hand in the air, motioning between me and her. "It's not your fault I'm such a wuss."_

"_No, it's not." I joked, and she smacked my arm playfully. "But honestly, I don't mind."_

"_Good." she said and then paused for a second, before adding, "Thank you."_

_I raised an eyebrow at her._

"_For what?"_

"_For this." she said, motioning between us again. "The movie, your company, everything. I had fun."_

"_There's nothing to thank me for." I said, though my smile grew wider. "I should be thanking you for being so nice to me. I _am_ the new kid in town, after all."_

"_I think anyone would find hard not to be nice to you, Bella." she whispered, just loud enough for me to hear. "And somehow, you're not the new kid in town for me. You're my new old best friend."_

It had happened a little more than three weeks ago, and I couldn't take that day out of my mind. Alice, despite her first reaction after the movie, became closer to me day after day. It was amazing how easy it was to be around her.

We fell into an easy routine. We knew each other for less than four weeks, and yet, I could dare and say that I knew Alice better than myself. I realized it probably sounded weird, or not even possible, but it was true.

As the days passed, it became easier to be around her. The strange feelings never left, but after some days, I began to accept, rather than admonish them. I knew that if I chose to go down that road, there would be no turning back, but I couldn't help it. I couldn't fight it, not even if I wanted to.

Alice Cullen was simply addictive.

Sighing at that thought, I tied my white bra, before slipping a white polo shirt on.

"You should at least make an effort to _pretend_ that this weather punishes you just as much as everybody else, Bella." her voice came to my year, sweet and playful.

"I wonder what kind of problem you have on using the door, _like everybody else,_ Alice." I said, turning around to find her dressed with at least two shirts and a jacket.

"Why waste time ringing the bell and waiting for you, if I know that if I just climb up the window, I'll find you here?" she asked, smirking at me.

"Esme would go livid if she knew that you did that." I replied, and the smirk in her face was replaced by a frown.

"You wouldn't." her voice was no more than a whisper.

It was my time to smirk.

"No, I wouldn't. But it's always fun to tease you."

"She would kill me if she knew that I _forgot _my manners." she agreed, smiling softly. "Even if it's your house."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I inquired, grabbing my black jacket and bag, and walking towards the door, Alice close behind me. "That you don't have to be polite in my house?"

"No." she rolled her eyes. "That you're like family already. And that you don't mind if I don't use the door."

"I do mind!" I exclaimed, as we walked out of the house and towards my car. "It's just pointless to argue with you. What if you walked into my room and found me naked?!"

"Not possible." she stated simply, and then pointed to her head. "I can see it, remember?"

"Well, how do you know it'll work all the time?" I asked, getting into the car, the same time she climbed into the passengers sit. "You never saw me coming, yet here I am."

"That was one time thing. Maybe a glitch, or something. I can see you just fine, now." she said nonchalantly. "So don't worry, I won't walk into you naked. Not unless I want to."

She winked at me, and I gripped the wheels tighter. Opening my mouth like a fish, I tried to come up with a smart remark, but it was pointless. Alice looked at me, and laughed.

"I'm kidding, you know?" she said, giggling. "It was a joke, Bella."

I looked at her only to notice a glimpse of something in her eyes that I couldn't put a finger on it. She was biting her lips softly, as if expecting for my reaction.

"Sure. I knew that." I said, shrugging. "I knew you were kidding."

"Good." she smiled softly at me, and then she snapped her fingers, as if she had remembered something.

"What?" I asked her.

"Esme wants you to go by the house after class. She says its been a while."

"I went by your house yesterday, Alice." I said matter-of-factly.

"I know, but you were just there to pick me up. She says we all need to spend some quality time together." she snorted at that, and I laughed. "I honestly think Edward had something to do with that request."

"You think?" I asked, skeptically. Alice didn't take chances; either she knew, or didn't.

"Fine, he's the one who came up with the idea. Said something along the lines of 'she spends most of the time with Alice. And Rosalie. I think others deserve some chance too', which is totally crap in my opinion, but he gave Esme that lost puppy face that he has, and she gave in." Alice rolled her eyes and I couldn't help but to laugh. "He's so needy, sometimes."

"I don't know, he tries so hard, and he is nice and all, but I just..." I sighed. It was hard to have Edward at my feet all the time.

"Well, he seems to be very convinced that you have a crush on him, or something." the brunette's voice had a pang of jealousy, and I couldn't help but to smile at that. "He says that you're too shy to do anything about it, but that he's patient."

"I think he shouldn't be too sure of that. You can bet my crush is not him." I said, before I could realize. Smacking my face mentally, I cursed under my breath.

"So Isabella Swan, who _is _your crush?!" her eyes lit in excitement, and she clapped her hands happily.

"_You!_" my head wanted to scream, but what came out was a faint, "N-Nobody."

"Riight." she said, skeptically. "C'mon, I'm your friend, aren't I?"

"Yes," I answered in a heartbeat. "But honestly, I don't have a crush."

We had reached the school parking lot, and I got out of the car as fast as I could. I knew that Alice didn't buy my answer.

Hell, _I_ didn't buy it.

I took two steps towards the school, when something blocked my way.

Well, _someone._

"Hello, Bella." he said, and the way my name fell off his mouth made me nauseated. It was so different from the way Alice said it.

"Edward." I nodded politely, Alice already by my side.

"Could I walk you to your class?" he asked hopeful, and at my side, I could see Alice rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, why not?" I shrugged, and he smiled. Alice threw a dark glance at me.

Edward clearly was trying to get something. His first class was on the opposite side of the building. Alice was sending him looks that would probably kill someone, but he didn't seem to notice. Or if he did, he didn't care. He had a smug smile on his face and I wanted nothing but to rip it off.

Pulling Alice closer, I laced my arm with hers. Her expression changed immediately and I couldn't help but to smile softly at her.

"So Bella, did Alice tell you about Esme's invitation?" he asked and I felt Alice hold me closer.

"She did." I answered, smiling for good measure.

" Will you accept it?"

"What kind of stupid question is that, Edward?" Alice asked, rolling her eyes again. She seemed to do that a lot whenever he was close.

"I think it's a valid question, Alice." he snapped back at her.

"Yes, I'll accept the invitation." I answered. Stepping between the bickering, I sent Alice a warn look.

"Perfect." he said, and the smug smile was back to his face. We have reached our destination. He turned to me and grabbed my free hand. "Would you like me to be here to walk you to your next class?"

"She knows the way, you know?" Alice muttered under her breath, but Edward didn't hear.

"I appreciate, but it's not necessary, Edward." I chuckled at Alice's words. "Besides, Alice will be with me."

"Of course." he sneered. "Well, I'll see you at lunch, then."

And he walked away. I sighed in relief.

"I swear, sometimes I just wanna punch him." Alice said, pulling me into the classroom.

"By all means, don't let me stop you." I joked and she grinned at me. "But really, we could be friends. Right? You're very possessive, Alice."

"Am not!" she retorted. "And besides, whatever it is that he wants, I'm sure it's _not_ friendship."

"Well then, too bad for him." I said as the teacher walked into the classroom.

"I don't want to be there when you tell him that."

~*~

After classes were over, I made my way to the parking lot, where Alice was already waiting for me.

Lunch had been weird, to say the least. Edward kept touching my arm, and glancing at me. He kept flashing that smile of his, and I just wanted a hole to open on the floor and swallow me. On the flip side though, Alice didn't let go of me whenever he was around. If I thought that we had been close before, the entire day proved me how wrong I had been.

It was rather pleasant to know that Alice was jealous. Whether it was in a friendly way, or any other way, I couldn't help but to smile every time she started her banter with Edward. But, in some ways, I didn't take it as a good thing.

When she acted that way, I couldn't help but to feel a little bit of hope. I couldn't help but to wonder if we could be something else. More than we already were.

And oh, how I wanted to be something more.

Since I began to accept my feelings for Alice, my thoughts had begun to wander through different scenarios, and I found myself wanting every and each one of them to come true. I wanted to touch, hold, kiss her. I wanted to do all of that, and none of them in a friendly way.

I wondered what her lips tasted like; how soft her tongue was. How much would she hate me if I did something? Would she walk away from me? Would she tell her family that I'm insane? Or would she enjoy it?

I sighed and rubbed my forehead. Too many thoughts in my mind.

"Hey, you okay?" Alice asked, as I approached her.

"Yeah, just thinking." I whispered. In a second she was by my side, her arms wrapped around me.

"I was hoping we could go somewhere before going to the house." she said quietly. "There's something I need to tell you."

"Sure." was the only thing I managed to get out.

Did she know? Did she figured it out, somehow? Was she going to say she couldn't be my friend anymore?

Suddenly, all I wanted was to freeze time and stay safe in her arms forever.


	6. Will my love come In the pourin' rain?

**This was faster than last time, wasn't it? :D I started writing a Criminal Minds fic, so that means I'll spend some time working on that as well, but I'll make sure to keep the chapters coming as fast as I can! I have next week off, so I'll try to write some more on that time. :) Thank you for the wonder beta, _orangesoda7_, who puts up with me. Jej, you know that I love you. :)**

**Thank you for the reviews (seriously, keep them coming)! Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter V - _Will my love come in the pourin' rain? Am I ready for the joy? Am I ready for the pain? _

Forks was unusually warm that afternoon; still no sun, but I could actually feel the difference when the wind blew on my skin. Alice was sitting a few feet away from me. Her face serene, and her body still as she looked down at the beach.

She had taken me through the forest, to a hidden cliff with an amazing view. I could see my house from here, not very far, and I made a mental note to remember this place.

It had been over an hour, and she hadn't uttered a word to me. Had it been any other time, I wouldn't have minded the silence, or even the time she was taking to say something, but I knew Alice. She was always very talkative, especially when we were together. In the few times she was quiet, when we were watching movies or something like that, it was never uncomfortable.

Right now, though, I could feel the tension that had settled in the air.

It made me feel uneasy, something I never felt with Alice. Whatever was bothering her could clearly change things between us, and I had accepted the fact that after today, things would be different. All I could do was hope that it would be in a good way.

"Bella?" she asked, her soft voice penetrating my thoughts. Raising my head, I turned to look at her, millions of questions reflected in my eyes.

Sighing, Alice moved to my side.

"I'm sorry," she started, still not looking at me. "I asked you to come here and talk, but I've been mute for the last hour."

"It's alright." I said, sliding my hand over to hold hers.

Alice looked at me apologetically and got up, beginning to pace in front of me. I looked down at where her hand had been, only milliseconds ago, and then averted my eyes. Tears that I would never shed pooled up in them.

"What's the matter, Alice?" I asked; I didn't want to push the subject, but the suspense was killing me.

"When I first saw you, over a month ago, I knew that there was something especial about you." she started, still pacing, her voice no more than a whisper. "It wasn't just because I didn't see you, though that disturbed me for a little while; but no, it was something more. I felt like something was pulling me towards you, and even if it was subconsciously, I felt like I had to know you."

She paused, taking a deep breath of unnecessary air. I knew better than to say something. Whatever it was that Alice had to tell me, she had to do it without any interruptions.

"After spending a day with you, I knew that you would become my best friend." she laughed, but there was no emotion in it, and my heart clenched at the sound of it. "I didn't need to see the future to know that. I just felt it. And I was right. I've lived with the Cullens for a long time; I even had a relationship with Jasper, but I was never so open with anyone. Not even Edward, who sometimes reads my mind accidentally."

She finally turned to me, and as her gaze met mine, I saw that her eyes, were almost a golden color and shining with tears that would never fall; just like mine. I could see my doubts reflected in them, as well as hers. Someone once said that the eyes were the window to the soul, and whilst some believed that our kind didn't have a soul, the emotions running through Alice's eyes proved me otherwise.

Everything was there; fear, hope, doubt, respect, pride, affection, love. _Love_.

But what did it all mean?

Breaking the eye contact, she began to pace again. I would have found it cute, if I wasn't so scared.

"But when you arrived, I felt free." she continued, her confidence building as the words flowed out of her mouth. "I could be myself, I didn't need to control my thoughts or my emotions around you. I had never felt so good. There was no pressure. You never expected anything from me. I gave you my trust, and you didn't hesitate in giving me yours. I know you and I'm pretty sure you know me better than I know myself. It's not about knowing things about me; there's a lot that you don't know. I have secrets, just like I know you have, just like everyone else does."

"You never pushed me though. You never asked for more than I could give you, and as the time passed, I realized that you deserved more. That I wanted to give you more." She paused again, her eyes meeting mine again and my breath got caught in my throat.

She never looked more beautiful and I fought the urge to wrap my arms around her.

"We got even closer, and I never felt so happy in my entire existence. So complete." she began to take a step towards me, but then stopped as if she wasn't sure she should. "When Edward started talking about you, something inside me would tingle, and I would feel warm for no reason. And then, he would talk to Esme about you, saying that he was taking an interest in you and things like that. Esme got so happy."

"You see, Edward's been alone for a long time. He never found a significant other; someone he could share his life with," she sighed, hanging her head down, "and he really hoped that maybe you would take an interest in him. And Esme, as every mother who just wants what's best for her son, was hoping that you would too. But I knew you didn't like him; not like that, at least."

I got up, taking a tentatively step towards her, but she raised her hand, silently telling me to stop, and I did. Standing still, I waited patiently for her to finish.

"I told him that." she looked at me again, and bit her lower lip, wondering if she should continue or not. "He said that I was jealous. That I wanted you."

She slowly took another tentative step towards me. If I stretched my arm out, I could touch her, but I knew it wasn't time yet.

Her lips curved in a sad smile and my heart fluttered. I wanted so much to comfort her, to tell her everything was going to be okay, but I didn't know if it would be. I didn't know what she was going to say.

"I told him that he was crazy. That you were my friend, and only that. We got into a huge argument. We've barely talked to each other the whole week." she took another step. "And today, he showed up offering to walk you to class."

"I knew he was jealous. He's been trying to get your attention since you got here, but you don't give him as much as a second glance. He hates the fact that you'd rather spend your time with me; that we're so close and that he can't even dream of having that with you."

Another small step; she was barely a foot away from me.

"He has always tried to be close to you, but today, it bothered me." She bit her lip again, shaking her head softly. "But when I was alone in class, I realized that it had always bothered me. I had just never noticed."

"The more I thought about it, the more it made sense what he told me. I was jealous." she took another step, and there were only inches separating us. "At first, I thought it was just in a friendly way. I thought that it was because he was trying to take my best friend away from me. I couldn't let that happen."

"But then, I remembered your touch." she ran the back of her hand softly against my cheek. "How smooth and soft your skin felt against mine. Your voice came to my mind, and I remembered what it did to me. How your laughter would brighten even my darkest day. It was then that I realized what I was feeling. What that weird feeling in my stomach was."

Slowly, she took a strand of my hair and placed it behind my ear. I could feel her breath on my skin, and like her, it felt warm against it. Many thoughts were running through my mind, but I could only focus on her. Alice was all I could feel; all I could see. At that moment, I allowed myself to accept everything that I felt for her. And with that acceptance, came one certainty; I needed her.

"I finally accepted the fact that I was jealous of him. And that was because I wanted you. And there's _nothing_ friendly about the way I want you." her thumb traced my lips, sending chills down my spine, and I took a step, unconsciously closing the gap between us. "But then, when everything was crystal clear in my mind, a new doubt appeared."

She wrapped her other arm around my waist, pulling me so close that I could feel each and every one of her curves against me.

"Do you want me, Bella?" she asked, her voice shaking with doubt and fear.

I couldn't think. My mind was full and empty at the same time. Alice was all over me. Her scent was so inebriating; her lips calling for mine, and as I closed the short distance between us, crashing my lips down on hers, the world disappeared around me.

Her lips were softer than I could possibly have imagined; they moved so perfectly against my own. I had been kissed before, of course, but none of my previous experiences could have prepared me for this. Alice was unique in every way. The way her lips touched mine, I knew nothing would ever feel like that had. So _perfect_.

It didn't matter, though; in that moment, I knew that Alice was all I would ever need.

Her tongue brushed softly against my lower lip, silently asking for more. It took me a nanosecond to allow her passage and when our tongues met, I forgot everything.

I didn't know who, or where, I was. Her tongue tasted so sweet, and I wanted nothing more than to kiss her forever. I knew that there were things to discuss; this wasn't going to be easy. But I had the feeling that as long as I had Alice by my side, everything would be alright.

Alice broke our kiss and rested her forehead against mine, a smile lighting her face.

"I want you, Alice." I said, though I was pretty sure she already knew that. Wrapping my arms around her waist, I gave her a soft peck. I was grinning like a fool, and it felt amazingly good. "I've been so afraid to admit what I'm feeling. So afraid that you'd walk away from me. I couldn'- I wouldn't know what to do if I lost you."

I closed my eyes as her lips met mine again in a passionate kiss. I didn't believe in heaven, but as her lips touched mine, I knew that if such thing as that really existed, I was as close to it as possible.

"I'm not going anywhere." she whispered against my lips. Drawing back a little, she stared at me, the smile on her face matching my own. "There are some things we need to talk about, though."

"I know." Sighing, I pulled her tighter against me, hiding my face in her shoulder. "Can't this wait?"

She smiled, and kissed my forehead softly.

"It can," she said simply. "We should go back to the house soon, anyways."

"I don't want to." I told her honestly. After all that happened, all I really wanted was to curl up in bed with her, and hold her close to me all night long.

"I know you don't." she whispered, and I knew she understood it; that she wanted the same things that I did.

Suddenly, Alice went still in my arms for a moment, and then she took a deep breath, exhaling softly.

"Would you like to spend the day with me tomorrow? Just the two of us?" she asked, and I found it cute that she was a little insecure about it. "The sun's gonna be out."

"I would love to." I told her, placing a quick peck on her lips.

~*~

We made our way back to the Cullen house, much against our will. I felt silly, in more ways than one, for needing Alice so much, but I wouldn't want it any other way. I knew that it was too soon, and that there was so much more I had to learn about the small brunette, and so much she needed to know about me, but I knew that with time things would be okay.

I realized that some of my secrets would require more understanding on her part. I wasn't stupid enough to believe that she wouldn't care about them. But I knew that Alice cared about me, and she wanted to make whatever it was that we had, work. And I was immensely grateful for that.

When we reached the river near the house, Alice stopped abruptly and I had to take a few strides back.

"What's wrong?" I asked, immediately wrapping one arm around her waist as my other hand cupped her cheek.

"Edward." she said, it was nothing more than a whisper, so much that even I had difficulty hearing her.

"Did something happen to him?" Alice was paler than usual, and even though her body was still, I knew she wasn't having a vision.

"No," she answered, turning to look at me, "he'll know. I can't stop thinking about it, Bella. I- I don't want him to find out. Not yet, and especially not like that."

"It's okay." I said, moving the hand that was around her waist to rub her back slowly. Kissing her softly, I watched as a small smile appeared on her face. "I can block him out."

"From my head?" she asked, surprise taking over her soft features.

"I can." I smiled and she kissed me.

"Is that your ability?" she was looking down, and I had the feeling that she didn't want to ask, even though she was curious about it.

It amazed me just how much she respected my privacy.

"I can do anything." Lifting her head to look at me, I answered her simply. She raised an eyebrow at me, and snorted.

"Ha! Nice one." she said, skeptically. "Yeah, right."

"I mean it." I said, smugly. "Well, it's more like, I can do anything that others can. Like, if I met someone who can create illusions, then I can do that too, if I chose to do so."

"Anything?" she asked, her eyes widening in shock. "You mean that you can see the future, or read minds too?"

"If I meet someone who can do that, then yeah." I answered, shrugging. "But it's not like, I see you, and I'll start doing whatever it is that you do. If I don't want to, then I won't. I can control what I want to be able to do and what I don't."

"Is it one at the time? Or all together?" her eyes were now sparkling with excitement. "Like, if you choose one, you lose the other? Or you just accumulate them all?"

"Accumulate."

"Holy Shit." she whispered and I couldn't hold my laughter. "My girlfriend is the almighty vampire."

My insides tingled as the words left her mouth. Alice's hand immediately flew to her mouth, as she realized what she had just said. Looking at me, her mouth opening and closing like a fish, she waited for my reaction.

"Am I your girlfriend now?" I asked, hanging my head down in embarrassment. My cheeks would be a crimson red had I been human.

"If you want." she said, sounding insecure again.

"I want." I told her, pulling her closer and kissing her again. "But you knew that already."

"I didn't see that." she said, sincerely. "I, maybe there's something wrong with me, but whenever its something regarding _your_ choices, I can never see you. When you're just involved but not actually choosing anything, I can see you just fine; but not when it comes to your choices. Does that make any sense?"

Odd, I thought to myself. I knew I could block Edward, but I thought Alice could see me just fine. She didn't see me coming, and she told me that, but we came to the conclusion that she probably wasn't paying attention, so she just missed it.

We chose to ignore the fact that Alice never missed anything.

But now, she was telling me that it had happened more than once. I wondered if there was something wrong with me.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked her softly; I wasn't mad, just curious.

"I don't know," she answered, sighing, "Maybe I was trying to convince myself that it would go away."

"But it didn't."

"No. But in some ways, it feels nice, you know?" she said, a smile appearing on her face. "It's like, if I don't know what you're going to do, then there's this whole world of possibilities. And while some of them scare me, it's nice to feel that. The thought that you can actually surprise me, though terrifying, is exciting!"

"It is?" I asked, a little bit skeptical. While I didn't want the ability to see people's future, I imagined it to be good in some ways. When you knew what to expect, the chances of getting hurt were considerably smaller.

"Yes, it is." she said, kissing my forehead. Her eyes were now shining with excitement. "When you got here, I knew that you were special, but you're so much more than that. You're freedom. You're the only person in the world who can surprise me."

"And that thought doesn't scare you?" I asked, shyly, biting my lower lip softly.

"Actually, not really." she said, grinning at me. "Were it anybody else, I would be terrified; but not with you. I trust you, and you would never hurt me. I don't need to see the future to know that."

"I wouldn't." cupping her face in my hands, I kissed her passionately. "I won't."

"Good." she said, giving me a quick peck, before she started to move towards the house. "You can start to do your thing now. You sure it's going to work?"

I laughed freely. "Yes, it'll work."

I knew that dealing with Edward would be the worst. From what Alice told me, I knew that he was convinced that I liked him, even though I gave him no reason to think that. I knew that maybe her family wouldn't understand it at first. Well, Emmett would probably say it's hot and make fun of us, but I couldn't be sure about the others. What would Esme think?

But, as Alice's hand slipped into mine, holding it tightly, all those worries were swept from my mind. It didn't matter, whatever it happened from now on, she would always be with me and we would get through it all; together.


	7. Announcement

Hey everyone!

Long time, right? I'm sorry about that. I could begin to list a lot of excuses and put a summary of what happened in my life over the last eight months, but that would bother you all, and it's not why I'm here. Are there any of you out there yet? I find it hard to believe so, but still, I have an annoucement to make. I'm majoring in architecture, and for those of you out there who don't know, here in Brazil, it's kind of a pretty crazy thing to major. I don't know about the other countries, but here it means no sleeping hours and definitely no social life. And for that, I had to put this fic on hold for a while. Though, as I watched New Moon today (midnight premiere, awesome) I realized that I really missed writing this.

With that in mind, Gravity is back on my schedule. Or, well, at least trying to.

I have a new chapter written - and if it's not the best, do forgive me - and if somebody out there is still interested in this, then I could really use a beta-reader to review it and correct my bad grammar and stuff. I also ask that please have patience, because seeing as it's the end of semester, things are even more hectic than normal, and I can't promise that the chapters will come out in the speed of light. I do, though, have every intention on finishing this fic. If you are willing to stick with me, then I can't even begin to thank you all enough.

So that's pretty much it. I need a beta. As soon as I get one, new chapter is up. Thanks!

Tams.

PS.: If you're up to the task, send me a review or a personal message. Thank you. :)


	8. And hold her tight

Hey again, ya'll! I has a new chapter! :D

Sorry about the long wait, and I'll try not to disappear again and keep the chapters coming with a short spam of time between them, though I cannot make any promises. Thank you very much to **Echoes-of-Dreams** for reviewing this chapter and thank you to all the other kind souls who offered as well. With no furder ado, enjoy! :)

* * *

Chapter VII - _It's only right to think about the girl you love, and hold her tight._

I knew that lying to the Cullens was bad; or well, not lying, as I wasn't actually telling them anything that wasn't true, but hiding a secret that it would mean something in their lives, as well as it meant in mine. But-as there is always a but- Alice didn't know how to break the news about our relationship just yet, and even if it made me uncomfortable hiding even more from those who welcomed me open-armed to their home, I just couldn't bring myself to say "no" to the petite brunette that had taken over my heart. As it was, we had spent the entire afternoon with her family, talking about trivial things, avoiding Edward's annoying attempts of reading my mind. I wondered if he would ever give up, though I supposed that it was just wishful thinking on my part.

It was past midnight, and we were still in the living room, sprawled up on one of the couches and on the floor, just as any regular family on a leisure day. Alice's head was on my lap, as I brushed my hands over her hair in an act that it was so usual for us that I didn't even realize I was doing it. But, as one would have guessed, Edward _did_ notice and wasn't looking so pleased about our current position. I, much to my own surprise, couldn't really bring myself to care whether he was feeling displeased about it or not. It made me a bit uneasy, for I always seemed to care about what they were thinking, but with Alice in my arms, I realized that it didn't really matter. As long as she was by my side, I could face anything and anyone with my head held high.

"You know," Alice's voice entered my ears, soft and calm, when she broke the silence that had settled in the room. "The sun is gonna be out tomorrow." I realized that she was the one who had to inform them that, in order to prevent her family from going out in the sunlight and expose their existence to the rest of the world. They all seemed to enjoy the news, but Edward seemed to be extremely pleased about it, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to know why.

"That's good; some of us need to go out and hunt." Esme said, smiling lightly and sending a pointed look in Jasper's and Emmett's direction. I smiled when they looked at her and hunched their shoulders in shame, feeling guilty. It was amazing the way she acted with them; one would never say that they're not her children. Their sense of family and closeness was very comforting for a girl so far from her own family, like I was. It made me feel loved, and it crushed me to realize that my pile of secrets could change that someday.

"You should come with us, Bella. We could find a bear tiny enough for you to take down." Emmett joked, and I watched with amusement as Alice threw one of the cushions on him. His reflexes allowed him to dodge the object, but he still looked baffled with her actions. "What was _that_ for, Alice?" He asked as a smile plastered on his face.

"She's probably sad because you're making jokes about Bella and not her anymore." Rosalie said, a mocking smile on her face, as she took a seat next to Emmett.

"I don't think it's quite because of the joke, but the content itself." Jasper said, shrugging, his eyes never leaving the television, though one could clearly notice that he wasn't paying any attention to it. "You used to offer to find tiny bears for Alice, Emmett. Now she's jealous because Bella is taking the bears, and she'll have to find her own."

"Ha, ha, ha. You three are _hilarious_" Alice said, rolling her eyes, but sending a smile my way. Edward continued to watch the interaction, but never said anything. I felt extremely uncomfortable with all the staring; it was creepy, to say the least, but I supposed I had to deal with it the best way I could. Edward _was_ a part of the family after all.

"I appreciate the offer, Emmett, I really do, but Alice and I went hunting yesterday after class. I believe we're good for a while." I answered, not really sure if I should mention the fact that Alice and I already had plans for the day tomorrow. Taking one look at the classic clock that hang from the wall, I touched Alice's sides carefully, silently telling her that I had to go home. She immediately got up, and brushed off her clothes trying to smooth imaginable lines.

"I'm staying the night at Bella's." She informed her family, making a pointed effort not to look at Edward, "We'll be by the house in the morning," she continued.

"Have a nice evening, girls." Esme said, smiling and placing a kiss on our cheeks.

"Yeah, have a nice evening, girls," Emmett declared, smirking and sending a wink at us. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do." My mouth hangs open at hearing that. Another cushion made its way toward Emmett, and was dodged just like the first one. What did he mean by that? Did he-- was it so obvious?

"Emmett!" Alice exclaimed, moving to snap the boy in the head. "You do not make those kinds of jokes when we have visitors!" she scolded him, but I could notice a bit of fear by the way her voice was quivering just slightly. I was sure I was the only one who could actually notice that, but it was enough for me to know that she was just as terrified as I was. It wasn't saying that we would hide forever, but it just wasn't time to tell them. Not at this time, and not like that.

"Apologize to Bella, Em." Esme said, sending him a pointed look once again.

"No, no need for that, Esme. It was just a joke, I understand" I said whilst playing with the hem of my shirt. Looking up, I sent Esme a reassuring smile, "No harm done, honestly."

"See? You guys overreact too much" Emmett said, rolling his eyes and moving to give me a bear hug. "G'night, little Swan. Take care."

We bid goodbye to the rest of the occupants – Carlisle was on a shift that night – and made our way back to my place. I didn't know that Alice was planning on spending the night, but I couldn't really say that I wasn't happy about it. As a matter of fact, I was ecstatic; though it wasn't the first time Alice was sleeping over, it _was_ the first time that she was doing so as my girlfriend. And the fact that I could hold her in my arms and spend the entire night like that was, simply put, amazing. As we reached my place, the memory of Emmett's comments along with Edward's looks had already vanished from my mind and Alice was back at being the only occupant there.

It was strange how someone could affect me so much in such a short spam of time. And even stranger was the fact that I had just as much power over Alice as she had over me. I knew her moods like my own, the way she would go monosyllabic when angry, or how talkative she usually was when something exciting was happening. The way she would whisper sweet nothings in my ear was the most adorable thing anyone has ever done to me, and just staying by her side doing nothing was more exciting than everything else I had ever done in my life, and I had a fair list of achievements. It was like those stories humans used to refer to as fairy tales, where little girls with no hope in life would find their prince charming and live happily ever after. I knew that it was an odd comparison, and that in reality both things had nothing in common, but I couldn't help the feeling of contentment that took over me every time I held Alice's hand in my own. Every time her lips would touch mine in a fragile kiss, as if she still wasn't sure she was allowed to do so. She wasn't by far any prince charming, but she could make me happier than any fairy tale princess would ever be, and that was the one certainty I know I had.

It would be extremely foolish of my part to believe that we could have a happily ever after; whilst we _could_ live forever, I knew that we would have our fair share of bumps in the road. In my opinion, relationships that didn't go through trials were prone to fail at some point. Nobody is perfect, not even our kind, and therefore, it's impossible to put two different people together and not expect at least some disagreements on the way. I wasn't attracted to Alice because she posed as something safe, no, what called my attention was the simple fact that even her bad qualities were unique. A relationship with a girl whose brother clearly had a crush on me wasn't easy by any means. Well, a relationship with a girl wasn't easy. I wasn't experienced on that, just as I knew that Alice wasn't, and the fact that we were building something like that together was what made everything even more amazing. She would be by my side every step of the way, and I was sure that, as our relationship became stronger, we would be able to fight whatever came upon us.

"I do believe someone got lost in her own little world." Alice said, her arms moving to encircle my waist as we entered my house. She was right; I had been kind of lost in my thoughts.

"I am terribly sorry," smiling, I turned around to face her directly, watching with blissful amazement as her own expression changed to mirror mine, "My thoughts were very interesting, if it's any excuse."

"Yeah? Do share, then. I would love to know what's so interesting that got your eyes shining like that and you smiling like a fool." Her tone was playful, but I could sense a bit of jealousy in it, which was incredibly cute, in my opinion. And her little pout just added to it, making practically impossible for me to resist brushing my lips against hers. I knew that Alice didn't like not knowing things, but the way she would get when trying to take the answers from me was just so cute that I couldn't help but to love it.

"You, you silly girl." I answered, kissing her lightly and smiling and I rested my forehead against hers, "Who else would get me like that?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe you found another cute brunette and were thinking about her. There are plenty out there, you know? I'm sure they would be more than happy to take you." Had I mentioned how unreasonable she could be sometimes? Oh please, as if I would ever look for anyone when I had someone like Alice with me.

"You're absurd." I said, kissing her again. This time though, I didn't stop too fast, and when her tongue asked for entrance, I was more than happy to grant it, letting my hands roam free through her upper body, but still being respectful and careful with my actions.

"Why am I absurd? I'm perfectly reasonable." She said, once her lips left mine. It wasn't as if we needed to stop for air, but the habit was stronger, and I really did like talking with her. Besides, she was being extremely adorable at that point.

"And do tell me, Alice, how do you suggesting that I'm thinking about some other brunette can be classified as you being _'perfectly reasonable'_?" Raising an eyebrow, I led her up the stairs, turning on the TV and lying on my bed.

"Okay, okay, I get it." she shook her head and climbed on the bed, resting her head on my chest, and my hand immediately went to her hair, brushing it slightly, "I hate you and your logic."

"You just hate us because we make more sense than you do." Chuckling, I settled my eyes on whatever random thing was going on the TV, silently enjoying the feeling of Alice's body against mine. I felt her rolling her eyes, but she didn't say anything else, and we fell into a peaceful quiet, the sound of our breathing being the only noise in the room.

Her fingers began to trace patterns on my sides, and soon I was aware that it wasn't a random thing; drawing letters on my skin, she was once again saying sweet things that made my heart flutter in my chest. But then, her hand stopped moving, and her eyes met mine, questioning and inquiring. "Do you think they know?" She asked, her voice cautiously low, as if she was afraid someone would hear us.

"I don't know." And even though it wasn't what she wanted to hear, it was the truth and I had made an unconscious vow that I wouldn't lie to Alice when she asked me direct questions. No sugar coating or going easy on her-I knew she would hate me if I did that, and the last thing I wanted was for my little brunette to hate me. "Maybe Emmett does know something, but if he does, then I'm pretty sure he's okay with it," I shrugged.

"I'm not sure it would be possible for _him_ to notice whilst everybody else didn't." she said, giggling lightly, "We _are_ talking about Emmett, after all. I love him dearly, but he's not the brightest tool on the shed."

"You're right, he's not," I agreed, laughing lightly. "But, does it matter? I mean, I know it's no way to break the news, but if he did know, would it be a problem for you?"

"No." She answered immediately, as if the idea of me even asking that was ridiculous. "I want to be with you more than anything, Bella. If he knows, then he knows. We'll deal with it when the time comes. But if he doesn't, then I wanna find a way to tell them without causing much of a shock, you know? And, despite everything, I don't want to hurt Edward."

"I understand, of course I do." Kissing her head, I pulled her close, wrapping my arms around her small frame. "We'll find a way, okay? And I'll be by your side each step of it."

"You better, Isabella Marie Swan. I can't see anything right now, but I _do_ predict a lot of trouble once the secret's out." She moved in the bed, and then I felt her weight above me, as her body pinned mine to the bed.

"Should I be scared of the fact that you're using my full name?" I asked, cocking an eyebrow and smiling teasingly. I couldn't even begin to describe how it felt to have her body over mine like that. It felt as if every cell in my being was alive and burning with her touch, even if the better part of my body was still covered.

"Oh, you should be terrified." Moving slowly, she nibbled my ear and begins to kiss her way to my mouth. "I'm very, very bad when I want to. Don't let this cute face fool you…all the time, anyways."

She didn't give me a chance to answer, as her lips met mine in a hungry kiss that had my body responding to immediately. We could talk later, for at that time, Alice was all I wanted.

- - -

The next day brought Forks a warmth that it was unusual but oh so very welcomed. It was clear how the presence of the sun made the town much brighter and inviting, opposing to its looming darkness caused by the constant rain and snow. I wasn't much a fan of the sun – and not only because of the obvious reasons – but I couldn't help to realize that the weather was matching my own mood perfectly. I was standing outside my house, waiting while Alice finished her morning routine, just enjoying the feeling of the sunlight bathing my skin, its warmth feeling even hotter against my naturally cold skin. When my parents first decided to send me to Forks, I had no idea that I would ever be able to feel so good in this town. And then, after meeting Alice, and everyone else, I couldn't fathom the idea of leaving this town anymore. Against all odds, I had made that place my home. I had found freedom and everything else I could've wanted. I was happy, amazingly happy.

"Wow," Alice's voice reached my ear, sounding full of awe. Turning around to face her, I found myself speechless, staring at the most beautiful sight in the whole world.

"I should be the one saying that," I said, taking in every detail of her body. She was wearing a yellow sundress, her golden eyes matching perfectly with it. But, though she was beautiful, that wasn't what caught my attention and made me forget the basic notions of speaking 101. The way her skin was glowing because of the sunlight was the reason. I had seen a countless number of our kind in the sun, but none of them could ever begin to compare to Alice Cullen. She became even more beautiful with the sunlight bathing her, if such thing as that was possible. I found that my speechless was perfectly excusable for a sight like that. "You. Are. Amazing." I breathed, standing in front of her and playing with her dress.

"Funny, I was thinking the same thing about you," she said, placing a soft kiss on my cheek and caressing it lightly, "The sunlight brings out your hair. It gets me even fuzzier inside".

"Fuzzier? Did you honestly just say that?" laughing, I laced my fingers through hers, and we started walking towards her house.

"Don't judge, Bella. You're my girlfriend, you're not allowed to judge."

"Say it again," I asked, closing my eyes and letting her guide me through the way.

"You're not allowed to judge?" I could hear the confusion in her voice, and it only made my smile turn into a full grin.

"No, silly, before that."

"You're my girlfriend?" She asked again, and as I nodded and opened my eyes, I could see her smile matching my own.

"That. It get's me _fuzzy._" Smiling at her, I let go of her hand and started to run towards the Cullen state. "Last one to arrive is taking tiny bears from Emmett!"

I could feel her running alongside with me, and all I could think was that I must have felt really stupid running with a smile glued to my face all the time, but I couldn't actually bring myself to be bothered about it. We reached the Cullen's house practically together, though I _did _slow down a few times. It was just a game, anyway, it didn't mean anything, and Alice knew that just as much as I did. It was fun and I liked to make Alice Cullen smile. As cliché as it could seem, it was the highlight of my day.

The Cullen household was magnificent - even I had to give them that. I'd traveled all around the world, and yet, there were only few places that could be so exquisite and yet feel like a home. Maybe it was more because of its occupants than the house itself, but it amazed me how a place could hold such different qualities and bring such different emotions inside me.

"You cheated!" Alice squeaked as we finally came to a halt in front of the house. "You cheated and that's very, very bad, Isabella Swan."

"Uh oh, full name again." I sent an innocent smile on her way, to which she just rolled her eyes and showed me her tongue, in a very childlike way. "I apologize for my behavior. It wasn't something nice to do." I replied.

"You're damn right it wasn't!" She agreed vehemently, but the smile on her face told me that she wasn't really mad about it. "I'm telling you, there will be consequences--"

"Hello, Isabella. May I speak to you?" Edward's voice reached our ears, stopping Alice's speech midway. She immediately sent him a glare and he made sure to ignore it, keeping his eyes focused on me. I could feel Alice's thoughts running wild as I tried to block them from Edward, but even as I couldn't actually know what she was thinking, I was pretty sure that she wasn't happy about the interruption, and that a lot of curse words would be running in her mind at that moment. It was hard to control them as she let go of her restraint and just focused on her anger.

"Alice!" I screamed as the power was too strong, and I felt as if my head was about to explode. It was hard enough as it was to block Edward from my head and hers, but doing it so as she her thoughts went all over the place was practically impossible. "Could you please control yourself?"

"Are you okay?" She asked, immediately coming to stand by my side, the pressure in my head immediately stopping. When I first agreed to do that, I had no idea it would be so hard to control her thoughts as she lost her calm and control. I figured since I had been doing that all my life, it wouldn't change much if I just extended to somebody else. The results showed me that I was wrong.

"I'm alright, don't worry." I answered, sending a reassuring smile on her way. She turned to look at Edward again, and I felt all of her previous anger coming back, and consequently, I felt the pressure beginning to nudge on my head again. Grabbing Alice's arm, I pleaded, "Please stop. Calm yourself down, please. I need you to be calm."

Edward watched the whole scene develop in front of him, his sharp features crunched in confusion. I didn't want to have to explain anything to him, though I knew that Alice would have a lot of questions once we were through this; I knew I had. As the little brunette calmed herself, I let go of her arm and regained my composure, taking deep and unnecessary breathes just for the sake of doing so. I wanted to stop and think about what had just happened, but I had bigger issues to address at the moment.

"Did you want something, Edward?" I asked, facing the other part of my audience. Alice was still planted by my side, her arm holding mine as if her life depended on it.

"It's private, if you don't mind," he answered, glancing at Alice, who sent him a death glare, but didn't make a move nor acted as if she had any intention of leaving. I didn't want her to leave, so I stood my ground.

"Sorry but neither Alice nor I wish for her to leave." He didn't seemed to pleased about that, but seeing as it was either talk to me with Alice there or not talking to me at all, he didn't have much of a choice in the matter. He took his time though, looking at everywhere but us, before he addressed me again.

"I was wondering if you would like to spend the day with me. The others went hunting, and seeing as you and Alice already fed, I figured I could offer." I felt Alice's grip on my arm tighten, but she remained as calm as she was, much to my gratitude. Edward, seeming to notice the anger in his sister's composure, felt the need to add, in a seething voice looking straight into Alice's eyes, "Just the two of us."

I honestly didn't know what he expected of me. Did he honestly think that - even if I hadn't already planned to spend the day with Alice – I would ditch her alone just to be with him? She was my best friend above everything else, and I happened to give an extreme value to that. He must've been delusional if he thought for a split second that I would consider his idea; I didn't really think that the odds of him being out of his mind were very little. He _did_ have some stupid ideas sometimes, which last proposal being one of them.

"As much as I would like that, Edward, I'm afraid that Alice and I already made plans for the day, and I just can't change them on such a short notice." I said, trying as much as I could to control the urge to tell him everything that I actually wanted to say. "But you do understand, right? Perhaps we could some other time?"

"I'm sure Alice wouldn't mind," he sent a meaningful glance to his sister, but Alice made no sign of acknowledging it, "Alice?"

"Do you honestly believe she would tell you if she did?" I asked, my voice sounding shocked at the prospect of him putting her against the wall – figuratively speaking, of course – like that. If she said no, then he would have a reason to start a stupid argument, but if she said yes, then I would be forced to spend the entire day on his company wishing I could be with my girlfriend instead. It had been a little more than a month, and I was already sick and tired of his stupid mind games. "I promised her I would spend the day with her. I don't back down on my promises, Edward. I'm sorry, but it is how it is."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you with my invitation. I just-- I figured--"

"I know." I said, interrupting him. "But, as I said, maybe some other time."

"Yes, of course. Have a nice day." And he left.

I watched the place where he had been for a few more seconds, and then turned to face Alice, putting a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I'm sorry about that." I said, tilting her chin up so she would look at me. This was our day and, try as he might; I wouldn't let Edward ruin it.

"It wasn't your fault. I knew he wanted to do something, but he just acted on an impulse today, and when I saw his decision it was already too late," she said while her voice was full of disappointment on her part, "I couldn't stop him."

"I don't need you to protect me from everything that it's going to happen, Alice," I informed her, letting my thumb run through her cheek. "And you don't have to blame yourself whenever you're too late to do something. I can handle my own battles, and I'll fight as many as I have to if it means I'll be protecting us. So stop worrying, okay?"

"It's hard."

"I know." I said, cupping her cheeks and kissing her forehead lightly. "But today is our day, and I won't let anything ruin it. Not even Edward and his stupid ideas."

"He does have the stupidest ideas." She agreed, chuckling. I felt my stomach tingle at the sight. "Okay, no more Edward. Today is about us. Shall we?"

"Absolutely" I replied.

Taking her hand, she guided me through the woods to the place where she had taken me yesterday. Yeah, maybe things would be hard, maybe this was just the calm before the storm, but we were allowed to enjoy our sunny day, right? Everything else could wait. No, everything else _would _wait.


End file.
